[enkidu]

Gecho's post on Holy Pit Bull Batman! thread is giving me second and third thoughts of getting a "guard" dog for our new house we are preparing to build near an Oregon coast town.

It's for a four acre lot adjacent to a state forest. (The newly cleared top lot on the picture.)(oops, can't figure how to post a pic! Sorry I'm a noobie.) Bears, cheetahs, deer, stray dogs have been sighted there.

We were wondering "Rottweilers, German Shepards, Huskies, Dobermans, Great Danes, St. Bernards, Akitas, etc, etc." as Gecho mentions, but if they "are also responsible for a great deal of fatalities..." What do you recommend? How & where do we get the right training?

 

[stevew]

http://blackfordsmajestics.com/treehound.html

 

[clancy98]

apparently you should get a poodle or chihuhua rather than a pitbull or a rot. They are like *way* more aggressive.

 

[Damn True]

I was unaware of a significant cheetah population in costal Oregon.

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

"Gaurd dogs" are a bad bad idea, and almost always useless, to a seasoned thief.

"Watch" dogs on the other hand are great. They can warn you, and make enough noise to make a would be, amatuer skiddish. In that case there are SO many choices.


Doggies are good.

 

[enkidu]

Australian shepards and Majestic treehounds both sound great. We'll check where we can visit them. Thanks for the input.

 

[LOOnatic]

apparently you should get a poodle or chihuhua rather than a pitbull or a rot. They are like *way* more aggressive.

 

[Barbaton]

What about a Great Pyrenees? I been wanting a pyr/lab cross for a while...

 

[Damn True]

I'm a huge fan of Bullmastiffs.

http://www.bullmastiffinfo.org/thebmf.htm

In light of Gecko's comments below I would caution you in getting a Bullmastiff as a first dog. 130lb + dogs are not the critters you want to make training mistakes with.

 

[gecko]

Exactly

Enkidu - there's nothing wrong with the dogs I mentioned, if they're bred, and trained properly. Some of them however aren't a good choice if you have children, or are a first time dog owner. The problem is often people buy dogs that don't suit them, and they take dog ownership lightly and don't properly learn about the breed of dog they're buying. Obviously you're headed in the right direction by asking questions.

I would enlist the help of a certified trainer to help pick the right dog for you. If you are a first time dog buyer, it's a good idea to develop a relationship with a trainer before you buy your dog, and let them help you decide, and then train you to train the dog.

It is definitely an investment, but the payoff down the road makes it all worth while.

 

[gecko]

What about a Great Pyrenees? I been wanting a pyr/lab cross for a while...

That's actually the first dog that came to mind. They're awesome for this kind of job, but they are bred to be extremely weary of new things in their surroundings, so you have to take a little extra care to socialize them, and watch them with visitors. Also aren't ideal if you have children, these guys are working dogs for sure.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

I was unaware of a significant cheetah population in costal Oregon.

laughing so hard, because i thought i read the thread tittle wrong

 

[I Are Baboon]

Our little attack dog. She fends off intruders (other animals AND humans) by sleeping in front of them, causing them to trip and hurt themselves.

 

[Slugman]

Golden retreiver... becasue the theif isn't going to be afraid of it and will walk right up to him! No seriously.

My Uncle used to run a manufacturing plant - they actually trained goldens to be attack dogs. When he went to work the morning of the dogs first shift, he found the dog chewing on a sneaker....

 

[enkidu]

What about a Great Pyrenees? I been wanting a pyr/lab cross for a while...

Interesting site and the breed, but we are probably not sophisticated or knowledgeable enough to care for one.

 

[fiddy_ryder]

id say am staff or just a staffie,, pit's were originally bred for one thing. am staffs and staffies are working dogs. great with family's kids, very protective too. but they do need training and socializing,, my pits were great with family kids, other dogs not bad, but if aggravated did not hesitate to make a stand

 

[enkidu]

Our little attack dog. She fends off intruders (other animals AND humans) by sleeping in front of them, causing them to trip and hurt themselves.

Yes! That's the kind of attack dog we want! I'll feel more comfortable nurturing it, if it's anything like human babies, rather than whipping a pit bull in shape.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

I'm a huge fan of Bullmastiffs.

http://www.bullmastiffinfo.org/thebmf.htm

In light of Gecko's comments below I would caution you in getting a Bullmastiff as a first dog. 130lb + dogs are not the critters you want to make training mistakes with.

Bull mastiffs are great dogs.

 

[clancy98]

Our little attack dog. She fends off intruders (other animals AND humans) by sleeping in front of them, causing them to trip and hurt themselves.

i've heard grey's can be good apt. dogs, as they are lazy and love to sleep.... any truth to that?

oh and gecko i'm just givin you ****, dont take it personal, i'm bored today and been cruising puppy sites all day! i musta left the good-natured smiley off the last post

 

[gecko]

Bull mastiffs are great dogs.

Yeah, I agree, I'd love to have one some day...when I have room

 

[I Are Baboon]

i've heard grey's can be good apt. dogs, as they are lazy and love to sleep.... any truth to that?

100% true. Our pup would sleep all day of we let her. We have to force her outside to pee, poop, and go for walks. She's be perfectly content to sleep in our bed all day. Soooooooo lazy!

 

[stevew]

Six or seven hamsters and some cutlery might do the trick

 

[gecko]

Lol

 

[binary visions]

Six or seven hamsters and some cutlery might do the trick

That's the best thing I've read all day

 

[Damn True]

Yeah, I agree, I'd love to have one some day...when I have room

Actually Bullmastiffs and English Mastiffs are great apartment dogs.

Bullies are bred for short periods of intense activity followed by lots and lots of sleep. (ie chasing down a bad guy) Roxy is actually as fast as nearly any other dog......for about 45 seconds.

English Mastiffs are just plain lazy. You have to make them excercise.

 

[stevew]

But in all honesty as far as dogs, size has nothing to do with heart. Some of the toughest dogs I have seen working at vet clinics are the little dogs that won't take sh!t from any dog.

I think Jack Russel Terriers have a death wish.

Any dog can have the desire to protect whether they are 10lbs or 150lbs.

It doesn't take a big dog to scare off a large animal.

 

[gecko]

Actually Bullmastiffs and English Mastiffs are great apartment dogs.

Bullies are bred for short periods of intense activity followed by lots and lots of sleep. (ie chasing down a bad guy) Roxy is actually as fast as nearly any other dog......for about 45 seconds.

English Mastiffs are just plain lazy. You have to make them excercise.

Wow, I didn't know that. Still though, I've already got an Am Staff in my apartment, so it might get a little crowded.

I also want one of these guys, a Cane Corso, who incidently also make great guard dogs enkidu (when they're older). Also great with kids.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/canecorsoitaliano.htm

 

[Damn True]

What is it with little dogs squaring off in front of another dog that $hits bigger than they are?

Its the K9 equivelant of you or me walking up to a Raiders middle linebacker, poking him in the chest and yelling F-U ya punka$$ biotch!

 

[Damn True]

Wow, I didn't know that. Still though, I've already got an Am Staff in my apartment, so it might get a little crowded.

I also want one of these guys, a Cane Corso, who incidently also make great guard dogs enkidu (when they're older). Also great with kids.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/canecorsoitaliano.htm

Corso's are rad. You do want to stay away from the Brasilero though. Very dangerous dog.

 

[gecko]

What is it with little dogs squaring off in front of another dog that $hits bigger than they are?

Its the K9 equivelant of you or me walking up to a Raiders middle linebacker, poking him in the chest and yelling F-U ya punka$$ biotch!

They just feel like they have something to prove. lol there's a pug in our building that that's about the size of my dog's head, and loves to bark at hang off Adler's ears

 

[Barbaton]

Wow, I didn't know that. Still though, I've already got an Am Staff in my apartment, so it might get a little crowded.

I also want one of these guys, a Cane Corso, who incidently also make great guard dogs enkidu (when they're older). Also great with kids.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/canecorsoitaliano.htm

Ooh, i saw a beautiful jet black Cane Corso at Petsmart for social hour last year. 5 months old :: 160lbs. Gonna be a big boy.

 

[binary visions]

I think Jack Russel Terriers have a death wish.

Love Jack Russels. A close family friend who I grew up with had them all her life.

One has killed two racoons, a fisher cat (!!), and a couple skunks without getting sprayed. Tough little critter.

 

[enkidu]

I was unaware of a significant cheetah population in costal Oregon.

laughing so hard, because i thought i read the thread tittle wrong

Ok, ok. . . even my husband can't stop laughing about the "cheetahs".
Mountain lions, cougars, elks and deer are the ones we have to fend off.

 

[Skookum]

i think the whole premise behind this thread is ridiculous. Lions and tigers and bears OH MY!!!! What are you gonna do, go buy a pet dolphin to protect you when you go swimming too?

i think fending away all the Human animals especially the "meth-heads" are to be more of a concern.....

 

[manziman]

This is what my parents have. Does a damn good job of barking incessantly.

 

[gecko]

Yeah, the jet black ones are just gorgeous. Such a majestic animal.

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

Mastiff's are REALLY cool dogs. HOWEVER, they are OFTEN big druelers

 

[gecko]

This is what my parents have. Does a damn good job of barking incessantly.

And they make great mops with a pole up their butt

 

[Damn True]

Ok, ok. . . even my husband can't stop laughing about the "cheetahs".
Mountain lions, cougars, elks and deer are the ones we have to fend off.

The elk and deer won't hurt anything, and if you happen to be handy with a compound bow can keep your freezer full of tasty meat.

 

[Pau11y]

What is it with little dogs squaring off in front of another dog that $hits bigger than they are?

Its the K9 equivelant of you or me walking up to a Raiders middle linebacker, poking him in the chest and yelling F-U ya punka$$ biotch!

Something about "not the dog in the fight, but the fight in the dog..."?

Jack Russels were bread to be killers weren't they? Sure they were meant for rats, but I think the aggresiveness comes thru anyhoo.